Planograph co



N. KOHLER.

'SAFETY DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS.

APPLICATION FILED Dec. 6. 191s.

Patented July 22, 1919.

` ti0n of the retarding device, 40

line 4 4 of Fig. 3 `and showing `the roller sra ES ATENT OFFICE.

NATHAN KOI-ILER, 0F NEW YOIL, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO NICHOLAS F.

` BADER, OF EW YORK, N. Y.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS.

To all whom t may concern: Be it known that I, NATHAN KOHLER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city, county, and State of VN ew York, have invented certain new and useful vImprovements in Safety Devices for Elevators, of which the following is a specication.

My invention relates to safety devices for elevators. The object of the invention is` to provide a simple and' effective device for preventing elevators from falling ine the event that the elevator supporting cables break or become so slack as to improperly support the elevator. The device is normally inactive or inoperative but upon breakage'of a cable it goes into operation as soon as the break occurs and beforethe elevator falls any great distance or acquires dangerous momentum. The present device is not Vintended to stop the elevator suddenly at thel position the elevator is in at the moment fa cable breaks but it is lintended to allow itto descend to the bottom of the shaft or some other point suitable' for the discharge of the passengers, the elevator in this case descending by its own gravity but retarded by the present device. 4Inasmuch as the present devicelis inactivev while the elevator is properly workingthereis no interference with the operation ofthe latter.

`In the drawing forming part of this application, Y i

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the upper portion of an elevator and its guides, with my invention applied thereto, a

Fig. 2 is a planview ofthe present device with parts shownin section,

'Fig 3 is a face view ofthe stationary por- Fig. 4 is a` sectional view taken on the in operation,

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of parts vof the device,

Fig. 6 is a'detail view of certain parts, Fig. 7 is a sectional view showing the toggle connection at the cable, and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of a spring device for resisting the oscillations of the plunger. `In the drawing I have shown the upper portion l of anelevator and it is to be understood that the present invention may be used on any kind or form of elevator.` I

Specification of Letters Patent. Application led. December 6, 1918.

'lar line. Preferably,

shown, the peaks of other ofA `which may Patented July '22, 1919. serial No. 265,478. i

`shaft at each side of the elevator and coeXtensively with the path of the elevator.

I have provided at each side of the elevator stationary guides, tracks, or retarding means, here shown as upright metal bars 3, 4 secured to the ways 2 by bolts 5. These bars 3, 4 have their opposed edges curved or serrated at 6 so that the space between these edges forms a groove 7 which zig-Zags back and forth in relation to a perpendicuthe groove 7 is formed with equal and regula'i` reverse curves 8 as the curves atv each side being equidistant from a line drawn vertically through' the groove. The retarding deviceyonlthe elevator cooperates with this groove, but normally, or when the elevator y is properly operating, there is no engagenient between the device on the elevator and the guide.

I have shown two retardingsdevices, one at each side of the elevator, one` of which may be connected with the cable which rims to the winding drum (not shown) and the be Vconnected to the cable which runs to the usual counterweight (not shown). In this way the elevator is protected against breakage of either cable. These devices are constructed and operate alike so that a description of one willanswer for both.

There is a base 9 irmly secured to the 'frame of the elevator by bolts 10 or other securing means.

There is a plunger 11 adapted to slide on this base 9 and its movevment laterally is limited "by means of a tion 13 projects outwardly at one side of the elevatory so that it is in line with the guiding bars 3, 4.` Preferably, this `free end is provided with a roller 14 -to reduce friction and binding lwhen the plunger engages the guide bars.

The plunger is made in two sections, the

section 13, previously described, and the section 15 which extends through a bearinO formed by the base 9 and a strap 16 an the section 15 is partially guidedby abolt' 17 passing through a slot 18 and secured in the base 9. The sections 13 and 15 are'connected by an articulate connection, preferably consisting of the overlapping ears 19, 20 on the respective sections 13, 15 through which passes a hinge pin 21. vThe purpose of this form of connection is to permit the section 13 to oscillate in relation to the section 15 with the pin 21 as the pivotal point. There is a compression spring 22 surroundino the plunger section 15 and compressed'zbetween the strap 16 and the enlargement 23 of the plunger, the purpose of which spring is to force the plunger outvvardlyand toward the guide bars.I v

The inner end of ,the plunger section 15 has a fork 24 which' straddles the links 25, 26, which are pivoted, respectively, to the end of the cable at 27 `andpto the elevator at 28 and' the links and fork are pivotally connected by a pin 29. This constitutesA a toggle connection between the plunger and the cable. f

The parts described above will in them- ,selves serve to a certain extent to accomplish the object intended, but 1 prefer to provide means for resisting the lateral oscillations of the plunger to further retard the movement of the elevator.` 1 have shown in Figs. 2, 5`and 6 a cylinder 30 fixed to an extension of the base 9. There is a piston 31 sliding in this cylinder and in a direction at right angles to the plunger. The spindle 32 of the piston passes through stuffing boxes 33, 34,'in the heads 35 of the cylinder and onel end of the spindle is connected with the plunger section'13. 1 have shown a slotted extension 36 on one side of the plunger section 13 and the fork 37 `on the end of the spindle 32 straddles this extension and there is an anti-friction roller 33 Acarried 'by the pin 39 in the fork, the roller33 travelingn the slot in the extension 36.` The cylinder 30 may be filled with any fluid. It may be air or liquid, preferably the latter. There is a by-pass port LOconnecting the opposite ends ofthe cylinder, so that the fluid in the cylinder will be transferred from one side of `the piston to the other, back and forth through the by-pass. The check valve-41 isfadaptedto regulate the by-pass to check the movement of ythe fluid ,to suit requirements andthus regulate the resistance to the lateral movement' ofthe plunger 13.

Operation: Assuming that there is a protective device at each side of the elevator, and that each is connected `to adifferent cable either one or both may become operative. lThey. both operate alike so that a description of one will suffice for both.

As long as theelevator and its cables are in propercondition each cable is under sufcient tension to hold it taut and the toggle `spring 22 which isalways exerting its force to project the plunger, will cause the toggle to bend and it will force the plunger length- Wise and toward the nearest guide bars 3, 1. The endlof the plunger carrying theroller 14: will be projected into the guiding grooves 'Teither immediately or as soon asitkcomes into line with a portion ofthe groove, which, in any. case, will occur when the elevator has inovedinot more than the distancefroin one curve in the groove to the next one. As soon as the roller le enters the groove 7 it will be compelled to` follow the zig-zag course thereof gas the elevator descends. This will causel the plungerpsection 13 to oscillate `through -the spindle 32 to thepiston 31. `At

each reciprocation of the piston the fluid in the cylinder is transferred from one side to the other of the'piston through the by-pass 40 and the flow ofthe fluid is sufficiently restricted to resist the movement of the piston, and thus the oscillations of the plunger are opposed.A As the plunger is compelled to follow the course of the groove 7 it must displace the fluid in the cylinder back and forth. Thevalve 41 may be regulated to permit the elevator to descend at'anyV desired speed. Asv the safety device isnot intended to stop the elevator but only to hold its speedwitliir reasonable limits there is no dangerous strain on the `safety device or .the elevator. Thesupport of the elevator is simply transferred from the cable to the safety device and the elevator continues to descend yunder the control of the latter. In many instances the passengers may not even be aware offany defectV in the operation of the elevator. i i i i Y 1 prefer the fluid device for resisting the plunger as it is smooth and as it is Vadapted for varying loads. 1n Fig. 3 1 have shown, however, how bilder springs 12, 43 arranged in the cylinder and on opposite sides Vof the piston, may be substituted for the fluid.. LAs the piston reciprocatesthese springs'are alternately compressed and this offers resistance Lto the oscillations of the plunger. A

The present device is very simple and effective and it in no Way interferes with the normal operation of the elevator.

Having described my invention, what I l claim is:

l. The combination of an elevator and a safety device therefor, comprising a sta tionary guide arranged near the path of the elevator and having a zig-Zag groove, a plunger carried by the elevator and normally held out of operative relation with said guide by the elevator cable, means for projecting said plunger into said groove, said plunger being adapted to move laterally to follow the course of said groove as the elevator descends, and resisting means for opposing the lateral movement of said plunger for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination With an elevator having a cable and a safety device therefor,

comprising a stationary guide having a zigzag groove, a plunger mounted on the elevator, said plunger comprising pivoted sections, means for confining lone section to a rectilinear movement, means for confining the other section'to rectilinear and lateral oscillatory movements, said latter section being adapted to engage said guide groove and to be oscillated thereby, resisting means for op posing said oscillations,aspring for projecting said plunger into engagement With said groove, and a pair of links by which the elevator cable is connected with the elevator, said links being fulcrumed to said plunger whereby When the cable is taut the plunger Will be held out of operative relation With said guide.

Signed at the city, county and State of New York, this 16th day of October, 1918.

NATHAN KHLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

' Washington, ID. C. 

